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A Week In Business

OCEAN CITY – Kelly Durham Sobol has transferred to the Merrill Lynch office in Ocean City.

Sobol started with the firm in 2005 and has been working out of the Salisbury office. She specializes in helping people plan for retirement and with their estate planning needs. She also works closely with her clients along with their CPA’s and attorneys.

New Addition Announced

OCEAN CITY – Christine Crockett has joined the staff of Insurance Management Group, Inc., an independent insurance agency located on 77th St in Ocean City.

Crockett joined the company in September of 2009 as the agency comptroller. She began her career 11 years ago in small business accounting. The Westover resident is a member of the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers.

Bank Announces Promotions

OCEAN CITY – The Bank of Ocean City President and CEO Wayne Benson, along with the Board of Directors, recently announced a series of promotions.

— Samuel Kotzur has been promoted to Loan Department Supervisor. He joined the bank in 2008. His duties include loan document preparation, oversight of lending compliance with both governmental regulations and bank lending policies/procedures and general management of the loan department.

— Earl E. Conley II has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. Conley’s duties will include commercial lending, business development and relationship banking. The Bishopville resident, who was born and raised in Berlin, will be based out of the main office located in West Ocean City.

— Heather Parsons has also been promoted to the position of Assistant Vice President. Parsons joined the bank in 1997 and was promoted to human resources director in 2005. Her duties include all aspects of human resources and serves on the Charitable Contributions Committee for the bank.

Chamber Forming

Fifth Co-Op Group

FENWICK ISLAND – The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce is helping businesses in the Bethany Beach-Fenwick Island area save money on electricity by participating in purchasing cooperatives. Already more than 120 businesses are saving on their monthly power bills, and the chamber is inviting more businesses to join its fifth cooperative group this winter.

“If your business is paying Delmarva Power commercial account default rates, or year-round capacity or demand charges on your electric bill, the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce’s new electricity purchasing cooperative could help your save your business money,” said Helen Barnaba, Operations Manager.

She says the chamber, working with Affinity Energy Management, a Hockessin-based energy consulting firm, has formed this new group with the purpose of transitioning applicants into the program before summer rates go into effect. Potential savings will vary based on energy usage, season, and type of business. All chamber members in Delaware and Maryland with commercial service from Delmarva Power are encouraged to attend one of the informational meetings to learn more about the program.

Barnaba said area businesses that are not yet members of the chamber are invited to attend. Participation in the cooperative is a benefit of membership and businesses need to join the chamber in order to take advantage of the program. The deadline to apply for the cooperative is Monday, March 1 at noon.

In 2006, the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce formed the first chamber-led electricity cooperative in Delaware. Four years later the Chamber has formed four additional purchasing groups and approximately 15% of chamber members participate in the money saving program.

Business owners interested in participating in the program should call Barnaba at 302-539-2100 ext. 16 or helen@bethany-fenwick.org to set up a meeting to review their bills to determine the potential savings.

Hospital Earns Designation

SALISBURY – Peninsula Regional Medical Center has been designated by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield as a Blue Distinction Center for Hip and Knee Replacement and a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery. Blue Distinction is a designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality, safe health care.

“Peninsula Regional Medical Center’s Orthopaedic and Neuroscience division is committed to focusing on the core elements of excellence,” said Warner Crumb, Executive Director of Orthopaedics and Neurosciences. “Through collaboration among surgeons, administration, and nursing, we are continuing a culture of performance improvement that leads to an exceptional patient experience and exceptional patient outcomes.”

Peninsula Regional Medical Center is one of just 14 hospitals out of 52 in the state of Maryland to earn the Hip and Knee Blue Distinction designation. The Blue Distinction designation for Spine Surgery was awarded to just 11 hospitals in Maryland, and is exclusive to Peninsula Regional on the Delmarva Peninsula.

“At Peninsula Regional we believe these designations will serve as a catalyst, driving strong programs like ours to become even better,” said Peggy Naleppa, MS, MBA, Dr. M., FACHE, and President/CEO. “Over 500 patients receive a hip or knee replacement each year at our Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation Center, more here than at any other Delmarva hospital. With the recent addition of spine surgeon Scott McGovern, MD to our Orthopaedic and Neurosciences team and the creation of the Peninsula Spine Center later this year, our surgical spine program is expanding to offer patients additional sophisticated and complex services and procedures that only Peninsula Regional will be providing in our region.”

McGovern, who is fellowship trained at UCLA, also completed an internship and residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Firm Moves Into Virginia

SALISBURY – Becker Morgan Group recently became registered to perform land surveying services in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

This registration allows the firm to serve a growing client base and better meet demands in this area. For the past 13 years, Becker Morgan Group has maintained a full-service surveying department in Salisbury, led by Vaughn A. Wimbrow, a registered surveyor with almost 40 years of experience in all aspects of surveying and land planning.